diff --git a/src/tool_operate.c b/src/tool_operate.c
index 9348d78a90..8f0e6c0b9e 100644
--- a/src/tool_operate.c
+++ b/src/tool_operate.c
@@ -1881,6 +1881,8 @@ static CURLcode parallel_transfers(CURLSH *share)
 #endif
   (void)curl_multi_setopt(s->multi, CURLMOPT_NOTIFYFUNCTION, mnotify);
   (void)curl_multi_setopt(s->multi, CURLMOPT_NOTIFYDATA, s);
+  (void)curl_multi_setopt(s->multi, CURLMOPT_MAX_HOST_CONNECTIONS, (long)
+                          global->parallel_host);
   (void)curl_multi_notify_enable(s->multi, CURLMNOTIFY_INFO_READ);
 
   result = add_parallel_transfers(s->multi, s->share,